Location: Romania

Our Vision: To see an end to child abandonment in Romania with every child living in a loving, healthy, and thriving family, knowing their heavenly father.

Ministry Focus: Through the effects of communism child abandonment continues to be a struggle in Romania, with approximately 37,000 children in state care. TJ and Sarah believe that God's plan for every child is a strong loving forever family. Volunteering alongside Romania Without Orphans and Imitatio Christi they help provide support to struggling families, adoptive families and families looking to adopt. TJ and Sarah are primarily focused on prevention and working towards engaging the local church, in association with Safe Families, to step out and help vulnerable families, through peer support, respite care, and the provision for physical needs - allowing the church family to build relationship with those in the community. Through these relationships the love of Christ impacts the lives of the families in need strengthening overall family health physically, spiritually and mentally.

Ministry History: TJ and Sarah attended Southside Worship Centre in Ajax, ON between 1999 and 2023. During that time Sarah volunteered for several years in children’s ministry, and in 2017 stepped into the role of children’s pastor. She has a one-year certificate from Master’s Bible College and is seeking to obtain her full diploma in the coming years. TJ served on the board of deacons for many years and has a call on his life to be a father to the fatherless. He has been fulfilling this call by helping in the children’s ministry at their local church. Together, the Laplante’s sensed God leading them to something different and in January 2023 followed God’s leading to Romania excited for their continued journey with God.

Prayer Requests:

• Please pray for our three young adult children and extended family in Canada.
• Pray for God's continued presence and leading of the Holy Spirit within Romania and our lives.
• Pray for wisdom, favour and open doors as we work towards adapting, translating and implementing the Safe Families program.